Monday, December 21, 2009

Could One Airstrike in 2004 Have Delayed The Iranians?

The time is fast approaching when Israel has to decide whether to bomb Iran–a massive undertaking targeting many hardened sites.

The consequences and risks cannot be understated: This is a frightening scenario and it has to be the most stressful decision an Israeli leader has ever made.

And according to this column, one airstrike in 2004 on the Natanz facility could have prevented or at least pushed this scenario far back.

The writers argue that Iran would have lost a major portion of its stock of low-enriched uranium, significantly delaying Iran’s nuclear program, giving more time for diplomacy, sanctions and internal upheaval to be effective.

It seems that whenever we discuss military action, the argument always centers on whether the threat has reached its maximum potential and therefore it is forced.

This column should remind us that sometimes its better to tackle a threat when it’s easier, than wait until its full fruition and face a nightmare when finally being forced to confront it.